Talk:Robert Louis Stevenson
Spoof? This page is categorizes as a "spoof". But were the Muppets spoofing Stevenson? He is a credited writer on the Muppet Treasure Island (for the story); although Jerry Juhl, Kirk Thatcher and James V. Hart wrote the actual script -- it is not much different from the way Jim Henson is credited for the story on Dark Crystal although David Odell wrote the actual script. The same goes for Charles Dickens (for MCC) or Lewis Carroll for TMS 506...you could say that their works were being spoofed or parodied (although The Muppet Christmas Carol is one of the most loyal and non-mocking adaptations of A Christmas Carol), but I don't think Robert Louis Stevenson's relationship to the Muppets was as a subject of a spoof. -- BradFraggle 01:42, 30 March 2006 (UTC) :Yeah, it's not a perfect distinction that we're trying to make, but this is basically how it works: References is for stuff that talks about Muppets, and Spoofs is for stuff that the Muppets talk about. So William Shakespeare is categorized under Spoofs, because the Muppets have done sketches based on a number of Shakespeare plays -- Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing on "Monsterpiece Theater", and Romeo and Juliet on Muppets Tonight. Shakespeare himself isn't spoofed, but his works are. :The same is true for Stevenson -- if you think Muppet Treasure Island isn't a spoof, then maybe you haven't read the book. Ditto for Dickens and Carroll. -- Danny Toughpigs 02:11, 30 March 2006 (UTC) ::If anything, the Muppets are spoofing Treasure Island the book, they aren't spoofing Robert Louis Stevenson the man. I understand that References is for Muppet work referenced in non-Muppet work, and Spoofs is for non-Muppet work referenced in Muppets work. I guess my hand up on the whole thing is the term "spoof" (some of the References are Muppet spoofs and some are just plain references). Listing non-spoofing references that the Muppets make as Spoofs just doesn't really seem right. A mention or influence of outside work, an allusion, and a spoof are very different in nature, but we lump them all in here as "spoofs". The Muppets aren't really making fun of Treasure Island, they are making fun with Treasure Island (its not a spoof or parody, its more of a wacky comedy allusion or homage). Also Stevenson is a legit credited writer on the Muppet film Muppet Treasure Island, shouldn't he be categorized as a writer too? -- BradFraggle 03:53, 30 March 2006 (UTC) :::If you want to come up with a better category title than Spoofs, I'd be open to it. I agree that it's not always appropriate for a catch-all term. -- Danny Toughpigs 03:56, 30 March 2006 (UTC) ::::Not sure about some of the other things, but since we have Dickens, Stevenson, L. Frank Baum, and Carroll as direct adaptations (much of the Christmas Carol and Alice spoofs, while featuring Muppets, also feature almost word to word or approximate paraphrasing of the original texts, which makes them slightly different from Shakespeare), plus Roald Dahl from The Witches has yet to be added and folks like Lillian Hoban for Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, I'm thinking there's enough articles and enough potential for more to make an "Adapted Authors" category useful. As for other things that don't really fit in spoofs, Brad, can you give us examples? I already discussed with Brad the problem of Fran Allison (referenced but not spoofed) in Land of Gorch. If we see more of what you're talking about, maybe another category will suggest itself. --Andrew, Aleal 04:00, 30 March 2006 (UTC) :::::I'd like to echo Andrew's sentiments. The authors don't belong in the same category as their work which is being spoofed. So yeah, I'd say time for a new category. -- Scott Scarecroe 15:40, 30 March 2006 (UTC) ::::::So, is "Adapted Authors" okay as a category name? I think it works better than "Adapted Writers" as it stresses the fact that these are print authors being adapted as opposed to Jim Henson or a staff writer penning a story which is then adapted into a script. --Andrew, Aleal 21:52, 30 March 2006 (UTC) :::::::Well, I went ahead and created the category anyway. If anyone wants to change it to Adapted Writers, let me know or fix it yourself, but hopefully that helps. And Brad, if there's any other items you feel don't belong in spoofs, let us know. --Andrew, Aleal 05:19, 31 March 2006 (UTC)